Nurul Istiq’faroh, Zulfin Rachma Mufidah, Hendratno Hendratno, Maretha Dellarosa, Nico Irawan, Amiruddin Hadi Wibowo, Edwin Jaimes Villaflor
Research on cultural literacy in elementary schools has gained increasing attention, yet the use of bibliometric methods to analyze its development remains limited. This study aims to map the scientific landscape of cultural literacy research in elementary schools over the past two decades by applying bibliometric analysis. Data were retrieved from the Scopus database using the keyword “cultural literacy in elementary schools,” covering publications between 2004 and 2024. An initial search yielded 219 documents, of which 62 irrelevant items such as conference papers, books, and reviews were excluded. A total of 157 journal articles were included for analysis. The data were processed using VOSviewer to generate citation patterns, publication trends, keyword co-occurrence networks, and collaboration maps among authors, institutions, and countries. The findings indicate a steady growth in publications, with a notable surge after 2020, reflecting the increasing global recognition of cultural literacy as a central theme in education. The United States and Canada emerged as the leading contributors, while Indonesia also demonstrated significant participation from a developing country context. Keyword mapping identified three major research clusters: (1) social interaction and family support, (2) teaching practices and curriculum development, and (3) cultural identity and research approaches. Additionally, the analysis revealed research gaps, particularly in areas such as motivation, engagement, teacher beliefs, and assessment design, which have received limited attention. These results provide insights into the evolution and current state of cultural literacy research in elementary education. By highlighting dominant trends, influential authors, and underexpl ored themes, this study offers valuable guidance for future research directions and policy development. Overall, the bibliometric mapping underscores the growing importance of cultural literacy in shaping inclusive, democratic, and globally aware elementary education. © 2026, Malque Publishing. All rights reserved.
Faculty of Education, Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Surabaya, Indonesia; Stamford International University, Bangkok, Thailand; Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Universitas Wijaya Kusuma Surabaya, Surabaya, Indonesia; Capiz State University Sigma Satellite College, Capiz, Sigma, Philippines
